WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2023/97 by Joan VALLVÉ , Carles-Alfred GASOLIBA I BÖHM to the Commission. Further attacks on Spanish lorries by French farmers
Date: 1997-06-11
Institutions: European Parliament, GASOLIBA I BOEHM, VALLVE
Subjects: EU aid, France, Spain, agricultural product, aid to agriculture, carriage of goods, farmer, free movement of goods, suspension of aid, violence

11. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 76/67

As foreseen in the statutes of HFSP a scientific evaluation of the programme had been undertaken by eminent
scientists, and a general review of the Human frontier science programme carried out jointly by ARA consulting
Group  Inc.  (Canada)  and  Policy  Research  in  Engineering,  Science  and  Technology  (PREST),  University  of
Manchester (United Kingdom). The results of the review were that this programme has been very successful in
supporting scientific transcontinental collaboration at the highest level. The grant scheme has been identified as
unique. The recommendations were that for the time being the scientific areas concerning brain research and
molecular approaches should be maintained and the programme should continue.

At a meeting in Washington on 20 May 1997 representatives of the funding parties agreed that the programme
should  continue  and  that  the  budget  should  be  increased,  in  particular,  in  order  to  ensure  a  critical  mass  of
research grants. The next general review of the HFSP will take place in 2001.

(98/C 76/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2023/97

by Joan Vallve· (ELDR)
and Carles-Alfred Gaso‘liba i Bo¤hm (ELDR) to the Commission

(11 June 1997)

Subject: Further attacks on Spanish lorries by French farmers

Since the middle of May 1997 French farmers in various parts of southern France have been making repeated
serious attacks on Spanish lorries transporting fruit and vegetables and on distributors(cid:146) warehouses.

What steps has the Commission taken and does it intend to take to prevent a repetition of these attacks, which
violate the right of free movement, a basic principle of the European Union?

Do these measures include suspending Community aid to French agriculture?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 1997)

With regard to the steps taken by the Commission in response to attacks by French farmers on fruit and vegetable
lorries from other Member States, in particular from Spain, the Commission would ask the Honourable Member
to refer to answer P-1992/97 given to Mr Garcia-Margallo y Marfil (1).

As  to  the  Honourable  Member(cid:146)s  suggestion  that  payment  of  Community  subsidies  under  the  common
agricultural policy to the French agricultural sector be suspended, with as justification the serious obstacle to free
movement of goods caused by the incidents referred to above, the Commission would like to point out that such a
step is, in the absence of a direct link between infringement of the free movement of goods and the expenditure
resulting from the subsidies referred to above, without legal basis in current Community law.

(1)  OJ C 45, 10.2.1998.

(98/C 76/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2028/97

by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission

(5 June 1997)

Subject: European subsidy for the slaughter of piglets

On 4 February 1997 a case of swine fever was discovered at a farm in Venhorst. Since then 168 other pig farms
have been declared infected and there is no end in sight yet to the spread of the disease. At the beginning of April
it became known that the disease was also present at the Wanroij AI unit which had supplied sperm to 1675 pig
farms throughout the Netherlands. The results of the investigations at these farms is expected only at the end of
this month.